Automatic musical instrument.



narran efrargasgrnganr oratori.

. LOUIS H. MAIER, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTGMATIC MUSICAL NSTRUIVIENT.

Application led November To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis lil. lrAn-Ln, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, borough of the Bronx, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification. p

(lne object of my invention is to provide improved means for controlling pneumatics or bellows used in player pianos, automatic musical instruments, and in other relations, and :mother object is to provide an improved arrangement ot player mechanism with respect to the action of the musical instrument.

My invention comprises novel details of improvement and combinations of parts that will be more iully hereinafterset forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein,

Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating my improvements in connection. with a primary valve-chest; Fig. 2 is a section on the line Q, 2, in Fig. l; Fig. 3 a section on the line 3, 3, in Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a detail of part oi my improved valve; Fig. is a detail plan view olf the valve seat; Fig. G is a section of the/valve and its seat, on the plane 'of the line G, 6, in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view, on a reduced scale, illustrating the arrangement et' several o't my improved pnenmatics associated with a suction chest; Fig. 8 is a plan view ot a modified form of my improved valve; and Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9, 9, in Fig. 8.

Similar numerals oit' reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings the lnumeral l indicates any ordinary or suitable bellows or power pneumatic, provided with a port or opening la in one wall, shown having a suitable seat 1"; Pneumatic l is mounted upon a chest 2 and spaced therefrom to provide an air passageway 3, as by suitable blocks 4, said passageway permitting air to enter and tlow from the pneumatic. Several pneumatios may be placed side by side upon chest 2 at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May MS, 1913i.

22, 1909. Serial No. 529,254.

a suitable distance apart, as illustrated in Fig. 7, suction pipes 5, 5a being connected with chest Q in any usual manner. Chest 2 is provided with an opening 2 in line with each pneumatic l, and over or in line wit-h each opening Qa is a diaphragm G secured -to chest 2 in usual manner. Upon diaphragm G is an apertured valve 7, the aperture 7 ol which alines with a corresponding aperture (321 in diaphragm 6. Valve 7 also has a central valve portion Tb to tit against the inner surface Sa ot' seat S, concentric with its bore 8", and valve 7 at its outer under surface is adapted to lit against the concentric seat Se. ln the arangement shown valve 7 comprises one or more rings 7d, say

of leather, fitted upon a metal ring 9 having,

apertures 9L corresponding to apertures G, 7, and alined therewith, the cross bar 9b being` shownv provided ,with a centrally disposed enlargement 9c to which is attached the valve part or washer 7b that is adapted to lit against seat 8a, the under part 7e of valve 7 being fitted against the diaphragm G. This arrangement may be adopted as a convenient means to secure the valve to the diaphragm to operate against the opposed seats l" and. 8. l have shown seat 8 as countersunk at S to provide the concentric seats S, SQ to assure close -iitting of the valve at seat 8, although it will-be understood that said seatmay be otherwise suitably arranged, sueh as by having the surface of seat 8 flat, whereby under one condition valve 7 will close opening l at seat l and under another condition the valvewill close the opening at seat 8 through the openings G, 7, The inet-al piece 9 is provided for purpose of rigidity and to atlord a central part 9C against which a plunger or stem l() is adapted to bear, which plunger is guided in the bore 8b of seat 8. Seat 8 may be supported by a bar or extension 8'* secured to chest 2. Flunger l0 extends into chest 2 and hea/rs against diaphragm lll. which covers the recess 12 communi :ating with port 13 of bore or conduit 14 of chest 2. The devices above described may be connected with the appropriate valvesof anyy well known primary valve-chest construction 17 from which pipes 1S' lead to theY tracker. VSuction for chest 17 will be maintained through piper19, to a power bellows in any well known manner. p

Suction being maintained in chest "2, as through pipes 5, and 5, and in chest 17 through pipe 19, and the music sheet closing the orifices in the tracker, diaphragms G will be drawn to cause valves 7 to close upon seats 8 to 'uncover seats 1b, and atmospheric air will pass through channel 3 into the several pneumatics 1, as shown at the left in Fig. 1; when an orifice at the tracker is uncovered the air passing through the corresponding tube 18 raises the valve shown at 17a and atmospheric air then passing under said valve through tube 15a causes the corresponding diaphragm 11 to bulge outwardly, as at the right in Fig. 1, thereby pushing upon stem 10 which raises valve 7 trom seat 8 and closes valve 7 against seat 1, and then the suction in chest 2 will draw the air from the correspondingpneumatic 1 into said chest through the opening in valve 7 and diaphragm 6 causes such pneumatic to collapse, atmospheric air thus being shut ott' from the pneumatic by the seating of valve 7 against seat 1b. As soon as such orice at the tracker is closed by the music sheet, and air cut oil' from the corresponding pipe 18, valve 171 will close, which is permitted by the ordinary bleed 17, and the air then being pulled through tube 15"L from under diaphragm 11 at the right in Fig. 1 causes such diaphragm to be drawn down, and thereupon the suction in the corresponding chest 2, by drawing upon diaphragm 6, pulls valve 7 from seat 1" and upon seat 8, thus shutting ott' suction into chest 2 through valve 7 and permitting air from channel S'to lpass-'into the corresponding pneumatic 1 through opening 1a, whereupon said pneumatic will expand. Thus, by the use of the double-acting valve 7 in connection with the opposed seats 1b and S I am enabled to permit atmospheric air to enter the'pneumatic when the valve moves in one direction and to shut oil' such air and suck air from the pneiunatic when the valve moves in the opposite direction, effected by the simple back and t'orth vmovement of the apertured valve, the arrangement being such that when the apertured valve moves away from seat 1b the aperture no longer serves as a passage for air, as it is then iirmly seated upon seat 8, and yet atmospheric air passes freely from channel 3 over valve 7 to opening 1a. The freedom ot' movement of the valve-7 by being mounted upon dialihragm G reduces friction ot' air' flowing into the pneumatic, as the opei'iing 1LL can be relatively large, and has direct communication with the atmosphere, and the suction from the pneumatic is also directly through such relatively large opening n and the relatively large aperture or apertures in valve 7. Such direct action of the air overcomes the requirement oi' the usual ports and channels containing angles which set up resistance to the t'ree tiow of the air. It will be understood that, by reason ot the suction in ordinary piano players beingl relatively light, the action otI the air in accordance with my invention will give increased eilicieney and freedom of vibration ol" the movable part of the bellows.

Where the primary valve arrangement 17 is not used and the tubes 15, 15l are connected directly to the tracker, the saine operation otpmy improvements will take place as described with respect to Fig. 1, but in such' case a suitable bleed will be provided, between chest 2 and each pipe 15, 15, such'as represented at 17D.

In Figs. S and 9 I have shown a modification of the means for positively operating valve 7. In this case seat S is not required to have the concentric part S, stem 10 being dispensed with, and the metal ring 22 arranged similarly to ring 9, but provided with extensions 22 bent toward and adapted to coact with diaphragm 11. In this case when diaphragm 11 bulges toward seat 8, valve 7 will be'lifted from said seat, and when diaphragm 11 bulges away from seat 8 valve Twill be seated thereon. Diaphragm 6 is provided with opening 6 and valve 7 has opening 7l as before described, but in this case there is no requirement 'for the parts 9", 9C. In Fig. 9 seat 8 is shown recessed to afford perfect contact o't valve 7 at its outer edge 8c. The pncumatics 1 may be arranged to operate the action ot' the piano or other musical instruments in any suitablD or well-known manner.

Having now described my invention what I claim is 1. The combination of a pneumatic provided with an opening, a chest having an opening, an apertured diaphragm and a seat adjacent said opening, an apertured valve in I position to be operated by the diaphragin,

the apertures of said diaphragm and valve registering, the valve registering with said seat when in one position to close the chest opening, said Valve causing connnunication between the pneuinatic and the chest when oil1 said seat.

2. The combination of a pneumatic provided with an opening, a chest having an opening provided with a seat, an air channel between the pneumatic and the chest communicating with the atmosphere, au a])ertured valve between the chest and pneumatic, and a flexible diaphragm movably supporting said valve, said valve normally closing the second named opening and uncease? covering the vopening of the pneumatic in one position, said valve cooperating with the openin of the pneumatic to cause communication another position.'

3, The combination of a pneumatic, a

chest, opposed openings in the chest and the pneumatic, and an apertured valve and dif 'Idiaphragn registering, said chest having an opening leading to' the air channel, the diahragm being located at said opening and ilexibly supporting said valve, and means to cause closing of said opening when the valve is in one position and at the same time cause communication between the pneumatic and the channel.

5.. rhe combination of a pneumatic, a chest, a valve device between the pneumatic and chest comprisingl an aperturjed valve and an apertured diaphra m, said'apertures registering, saidvalve an diaphragm per-V mittin'g communication between the pneumatic and chest when in one position and permitting the flow oi atmospheric airto the pneumatic when in another position, the diaphragm flexibly supporting said valvee .6, The combination ci a pneumatic, a chest, a valve device between the penumatic and chest comprising an apertured valve and an apertured diaphragm, said aperture registering, said valve and diaphragm permitting communication through the valve between the pneumatic and chest While in one position, said valve permitting communication between the pneumatic and atmosphere while in another position and at the same time closing. communication between the chest and atmosphere, the diaphragm flexibly supporting said valve.

7. The combination'oi a pneumatic provided'with an opening, a ychest having an opening, and a valve and diaphragm having registering apertures t0 control. said openings successively, the diaphragm ienihly supporting said valve,

S. rihe combination ot' a pneumatic having an opening', a chest having opening, and a valve and diaphragm having registering apertures, spaced between said openings and movable therebetween to control one oit' tween the pneumatic and chest in' said openings While 1n one position independently of the other, the diaphragm ilexibly supporting said valve.

9. The combination of a pneumatic having an opening, a' chest having an openine, said openings having seats, a diaphragm adjacenty said second namedopening and pr'o` vided with an aperture, an apertured valve carried by said diaphragm, the space between said seats being greater than the thickness of the valve permittingz the valve to close upon one of said seats independently of the other.

l0. The combination oi a pneumatic having an opening, a chest havingan opening,v

an apertured valve, a diaphragm carrying said valve, a diaphragm at a distance from the first named diaphragm, means for operating said valve by the secondnamcd diaphragm, and means to operate the last named diaphragm.

1l. rihe combination of a pneumatic provided with an opening, a chest having an. opening, an apertured valve, a diaphragm carrying said valve, a diaphragm at a distance from the first named diaphragm, a member interposed between said diaphragme, and means 'to operate the second named da phragmn 12. rThe combination of a pneumatic having an opening, a. chest having an opening, said openings having seats, an apertured diaphragm 'adjacent said second named open-l ing, and an apertured valve having members located at opposite sides of "the diaphragm to coact with said seats respectively.

13. The combination ci a pneumatic havingan opening, a chest having; an opening, said openings having seats, an apertured diaphragm adgacent said second named opening, an apertured valve having memhers located at opposite sides of the diaphrak coact With said seats respectively', frame adjacent said valve provided with a cross piece, a stem coacting with said cr'css piece, a diaphragm coacting with said stem, and means to operate saidV diaphragm.

lll. The combination off neumatic, a chest, a valve device het-Ween and chest comprising a, diaphragm and valve having registering apertures to control communication between the pneumatic and chest, said valve also controlling communication 'between the pneumatic and. the atmosphere,

flexibly supporting said valve, said valve supportiru),v means and valve closing the ogm to' Sii he pneumatic opening in the chest in one position, seid by Seid movable member, and ineens to 0pnpertured vulve permitting` communication ernte said movable member, the dinphrngnr between the pneumatic :1nd chest in another i flexibly supporting' Suid nive.

position. l Signed ut New York city, in the county of o 16. The eolni'iination of n pneumutic 11nv- New York, :nui Stute otf New York, thiSQOth l5 ing' an opening, n chest han/'ing nn opening, day of November, A. I). '1909. t

n diaphragm :1nd vulve having reqrg'iSterinfhl g LUUIS H. MAIER. openings to contro] the iii-5t named openings, n movnble member independent o1' Huid i lO dinphrngm, means for operntingjl` Suid vulve Vitiiesses:

Minus F. W'Aimnen'r, T. l". oUnNn.

It is hereby certified that in Letter` Patent No. 992.2367, grunted Mny 16, 1911, upon the application of Louis H. Mnier, of New York, N. Y., t'or nn improvement in LAutomatio- Musieztl instruments, nn error :tppenrs in the printed specification requiring correction as follown: Pnge line 4t2-, for the word aperture rend apertures; and that the said Letters Patent .should be rend with thiI correction therein that the Same may conform to the record of the ensein the Patent OHiee.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of March, A. D., 1913.

[SEAL] i. C. lLLiNG,

,letting Umm/lesionar of [twente: 

